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"never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity..." -Hanlon's razor

I personally find this saying extremely overrated and damaging in many cases. Especially considering the pacifying effect it can have on attempting to undo certain injustices.

Best use of it is in your personal life with family, friends, retail worker in your local grocery shop etc.

Never attribute to stupidity, that which can be adequately explained by economic incentives

(I don't think it applies here though)

Yes, thank you, I was in fact primarily (but not exclusively) thinking of economic incentives! I will use your phrasing from now on.

> retail worker in your local grocery shop

Actually, that frequently is malice, but it's malice on the part of the grocery shop, not the individual worker.

Proposed addendum: never attribute to personal malice what can be adequately explained by institutional malice.

I agree. My guess is that institutional malice is fully explained by economic incentives 99% of the time. Which the version from the other comment cover: "Never attribute to stupidity, that which can be adequately explained by economic incentives"

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